Microsoft Building 87 Hardware Labs

Our Seattle team retrofitted this existing 105,000-square-foot space to accommodate a cutting edge hardware lab program. The build-out includes an anechoic chamber that is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “quietest place in the world”.

Our Seattle team retrofitted this existing 105,000-square-foot space to accommodate a cutting edge hardware lab program. The build-out includes an anechoic chamber that is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “quietest place in the world”.

Location

Redmond, WA

Client

Microsoft

Sector

Buildings

Market Type

Interiors & Special Projects

This project involved the retrofit of an existing 105,000-square-foot building, built in 1980, to accommodate the cutting edge, hardware lab program. Our Seattle team built a large independent structure within the existing building to support the necessary HVAC rooftop infrastructure required to operate such facility. These systems, which included four massive air handlers, were isolated from the existing building and rooftop structure due to extreme vibration-sensitive nature of the added 5,800-square-foot audio suite that included seven anechoic chambers – one of which was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “quietest place in the world”.

Prefabrication of large duct runs, electrical panels and stud framing in the space was key in allowing the team to complete construction in seven months. The project also included a 22,000-square-foot machine/model shop and workbench lab areas, and a 3,300-square-foot software/computer lab to support the 70,000-square-foot hardware lab area. Other areas included 6,500 square feet of high-end office and support spaces, shipping and receiving, darkrooms, video labs, wi-fi testing labs, cleanrooms, laser cutting room, paint booths, prototyping areas, as well as a centrally located café area all to support hardware product development for Microsoft.